Steele's Death
by ShewolfSOS
Summary: Steele dies a tragic death in the mountains, and a certain wolf-dog kills him. Rated T for character death and some violence. Disclaimer: I do not own Balto. If I did, there would be a fourth one.


Steele's Death

**Hello, all, here's a short little one-shot that will hopefully bring you to tears...or laughter...depending on wether how you feel about Steele or not. I personally found him handsome, but a jerk. Anyway, on with the story. Here we go...**

Stars twinkled in the late night sky as Balto pulled his sled team through the snow. "Balto, we're lost," Star panted, trembling. "We're almost there," Balto replied, breathing heavily. "Star's right, for once," Kaltag said. "Yeah. We's gotta stop sometime," Nikki agreed, sitting down on his haunches. Balto sighed. "I suppose you're right," he said at last. "Dad, we've gotta get to Nome!" Kodi, Balto's son, cried. "We're lost, son," Balto murmured. "There's nothing I can do."

Kodi moaned and sunk to his knees. Dusty, Kodi's mate, closed her eyes and placed her head between her paws. Ralph and Kirby looked at each other and shrugged. "What're we gonna do, Dad?" Kodi asked. "Wait," said Balto simply. "Yeah but-" he began. "No 'buts'," Balto interrupted. "What about Jenna?" Kaltag asked. "What'll she do?" It now dawned on Balto that Jenna, his mate, was still back at home with Rosey and her parents, probably worrying her pretty little head off.

"I knew coming out here was a big mistake," Star mumbled to himself, licking his paws. "Hmm," Balto said, "well, a mistake it is, but we're stuck here now. We'll wait for some rescuers or something. I'm sure they're out here."

An hour or two passed before Nikki saw a shadow approaching them. "Balto," he whispered, "yous should look ahead!" Balto opened his eyes to see the dark figure walking towards him. "My God, a human's come," he breathed, and sighed with relief. He stood and shouted, "Over here!"

"I wouldn't do that, wolf-dog," a deep voice rumbled. Star gasped, and Nikki started shaking. "Steele," Kodi growled, leaping to his feet. "I know what you did to my dad!" he yelled angrily. "Slow down there, kid," Steele scolded calmly. "Don't make assumptions quite yet."

"I'm not making assumptions," Kodi shouted, "I'm telling the truth!" Steele chuckled. "You've heard rumors," he replied bitterly. "Rumors. Gossip. Wolf-dogs' talk."

"Yeah, right," Kodi muttered under his breath. "Come on, Steele," Balto snapped. "Keep my son out of this!"  
"You want a fight?" Steele asked. "No," Balto said. "Go home, Steele, back to where you belong."

"I'm here to get my revenge." Steele flashed too-white teeth to Balto. "Bingo," he snarled. "My name's Balto." Balto's hackles rose. "And I don't wanna fight."  
"As you wish...Sir Balto!" Steele leaped at Balto, knocking him to his feet. "You won't get away with this," he whispered.

"Ooh, I was hoping you'd say that," Steele jeered. "It always happens, doesn't it? Don't I always get away with what I want?" Balto grunted, struggling to get to his paws again. "I won't let you," he growled. Steele slammed him against a tree. "Hey, Steele, watch this!" Kodi shoved Steele, and he tumbled onto his back.

Howling in real pain, Steele tumbled off the cliff and into the snow. Balto stood weakly, and, when he opened his eyes, he saw that his whole team was gathered at the edge of the cliff. "Where's-" he started, coming to his son's side, but then he saw Steele's body.

The body was bloodied, mangled. There was a huge gash in Steele's left side. His eyes were open in that fixed stare of the dead. And he was still, quiet. More quiet then Balto had ever seen him before. "You killed him." His voice was barely audible. "You actually killed...S-Steele." The once-handsome Steele was dead. Finally. The moment Balto had been wanting since he arrived in Nome was finally here.

He'd only wanted to be free. And now he was. "Which one of you killed him?" he asked, eyeing his team carefully. "Kodi did," Dusty replied proudly, nuzzling her mate. "Thank you." Balto smiled admiringly at his son. "Thank you so much."

Kodi took real pleasure in straightening himself up. "It was my pleasure," he said smoothly, pleased that he could help his dad. "Hey!" a familiar voice called. "They're over there!" Balto looked up. A blonde man was marching toward him, a group of people behind him. "It's Duke," he said. "Duke!" He ran to the man, and Duke hugged him. "Balto," he said. "Boy, am I glad to see you! What's happened here?"

Balto wished with all his heart that he could speak to Duke. But he knew the human could figure it out. "Hey," one of the other men said, "look down here! There's a dead dog!" Several peopled gathered at the edge of a cliff. "It's Steele!" someone gasped. "They killed Steele, Duke! Why?!"

Duke shook his head. "Steele wasn't a very good dog," he replied. "He wasn't kind. He probably didn't deserve to die, but it was for the best." Someone else sighed. "I suppose you're right," they agreed calmly.

Duke drove the dogs home in his bush plane. Jenna greeted him with open paws. "Balto, I heard what happened," she said. "Kodi's a hero! Our hero!"

"It runs in the family." Kodi shrugged, grinning. Balto couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, son."  
"You're gonna make me cry," Dipsy, the town dog, sniffed. "Oh, if you cry, then I'm outta here," Mal, her friend, whimpered. "Steele is dead," Balto announced. "Everything will be alright now." He moved his eyes over the dogs. "We're all free," he whispered proudly, wagging his tail. Howls came from the dogs. Howls of joy, content, and peace. Everyone was free. And happy.

And they would be happy for a long, long time to come.

**Anyway, I hope you liked it! Please tell me what you think! ShewolfSOS, signing out! **


End file.
